Given its volcanic birth dating back 5 crore years, rich heritage of 15 centuries and more than 600 years of foreign rule, Mumbai is nothing short of an enigma. Ever bursting at the seams, this bustling city keeps its charm alive, thanks to its seashore psyche, innovative enterprise, and an all-embracing outlook to work and life.
What truly sets it apart is the unique obsession with contrast and contradiction: abundance & deprivation, hygiene and filth, virtue and vice, black and white…all extremes mingle here in matter-of-fact fashion.
Find your voice or lose your poise, Mumbai lets you make the choice. "Run, live and let live" is Mumbai’s mantra but in the maddening pace is an unmistakable rhythm. The ears that catch this music also see method in madness, order amid chaos, clarity with confusion, and hope despite the despair.
Presenting Qs (and their As) picked at random (translated into English and updated weekly) from the Marathi treasure trove of Mumbai- Dnyat Adnyat © byDr. Yashvant Raikar. Couldn't think of a better tribute to my father!
Dr. Y A Raikar (1932-2015) was a renowned author and archaeologist in the league of eminent Indologists and historians like Sir Jadunath Sarkar, Prof. D D Kosambi, H D Sankhalia, S N Rajguru, and Dr. Subbarao. His doctoral thesis titled Indian History - A Study in Dynamics, especially his incisive chart depicting the operation of the Centripetal and Centrifugal forces in political history, won the admiration of, and endorsement from, renowned scholars like A L Basham of the University of London (and later Head of Department of Oriental Civilization at The Australian National University), Robert Bosc, S.J of the Institut Cath-olique de Paris, Institut d’Etudes Sociales, Action Populaire, France, Dr. J M Mehta, Vice-Chancellor, M S University Baroda, legendary geographer O H K Spate, eminent historians R N Mehta, D C Sircar and Professor Herbert J Wood and noted scholar A D Pusalker. Dr. Raikar has authored several books across different spheres including ancient history, religion, spirituality, humanism and languages.
Here is the first Q & A:
Why are February 17-19, 1946 milestone dates in the history of Mumbai?
The Royal Indian Navy's 'Talvar' ship was at anchor in the Mumbai harbor. On February 17, 1946, port authorities found the letters Quit India scribbled on its surface and elsewhere too. It was decided to investigate the matter and take strict action against the guilty. Talvar's captain Commander A T J Cole was sympathetic towards the Indian sailors and immediately stepped down from his position. A new officer was given the charge to interrogate the matter but the next day, on February 18, the Indian sailors openly revolted against the British rule, deeply pained by the discrimination and inhuman treatment meted out to them over the years.
The dissent spread like fire to other ships. On 19th, 3000 sailors joined the protest and unfurled the Indian flag in place of the Union Jack on several ships. 1200 members of the Royal Indian Air Force organised a procession on February 20 to support the revolting sailors. The next day, however, saw the Army and the Navy pitted against each other. Cotton mill workers and railway employees went on strike to uphold the cause of the native sailors and violent riots ensued at many places in Mumbai. The Mumbai Navy mutiny was mirrored at other shore establishments including Calcutta, Vishakapattnam, Cochin, Delhi and Karachi, now involving 78 ships and 20,000 sailors. Peace was restored only on February 23 through the timely intervention of Sardar Patel. Gen Sir Claude Auchinleck assured Indians of no vindictive action whatsoever against rebel sailors.
The Navy Mutiny of February 1946 made it clear and evident to the British that their days in India were now numbered.